Exterior lighting system for railroad trains



Dea 2,- 1924@ n l 1,518,098

F. Wi MORRIS ET AL XTE'RIGR LIGHTNG SYSTEM Fon RAILROAD" TRAINS 31,. 1923 '2 sheets-'sheet 1 Dec, 2, 1,924.

F. w. MORRIS ET AL .f

EXTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR RAILROAD TRAINS Filed Aug. s1. 192s 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 2?., i924-,

. isiaee FRANCIS W. MORRIS AND MICHAEL `C. NILAND, OF LOCKPORT, NEIN` YORK.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR RAILROAD TRAINS.

Application led August 31, 1923. Serial No. 660,432.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that FRANCIS IV. Mouais and MICHAEL C. NILAND, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Lockport, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exterior Lighting Systems for Railroad Trains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates the provision of light projecting means designed to be attached preferably to the locomotive end of a railway train to establish a light zone cxtending on either or both sides of the train from the locomotive to the opposite end and serving to clearly illuminate the exterior ortion of the. train traversed thereby, as well as the adjacent road bed. Preferably, the projecting means is mounted for movement to various positions of adjustment; thereby enabling the light rays to be diverted from normal position and directed either laterally or in the opposite longitudinal direction of the train.

The important objects of the invention are to render possible detection of any person or object, entering or leaving any part or portion of the train; thereby reducing the chances of successful robberies, train hold-ups, and the like; to minimize the danger of accidents at unguardedrailway crossings; to facilitate proper reading and understanding of any signal or signals; to facilitate the detection of smoking or blazing journal boxes; to prevent rear end collisions; to enable rapid backing of a train at night with a greater degree of safety; to lessen the number of employees required for the safe operation of the train, and to permit elimination of the two tail lights ordinarily carried by the trains.

Other objects andk advantages of the invention, not specifically stated above, will become apparent from the following del tailed description and accompanying drawings; wherein i Fig. 1 is a. view in side elevation of a train'eqnipped with our invention. j

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of a locomotive tender showing the manner in which the light projecting lamps are fixed. to the grip handles of the tender.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the eliminating units as viewed in normal position.

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Fig. 4 is a View in rear elevation of one of the eliminating units.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the said eliminating units. f y,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line (3--6 of Fig. 5. j

In Fig. 1 of the dra-wing, we have shown a portion of a railway train consisting of a locomotive 5, locomotive tender t, and one or more freight or passenger cars 7. At the rear end the tender 6 is provided with the usual'grip handles 8 arranged on opposite sides thereof.

In accordance with the present invention, each grip handle 8 is utilized to support one or more lamps 9 constructed as hereinafter described or in any other suitable manner. As shown to advantage in Fig. 1, these lamps are normally arranged to direct the light rays rearwardly at Veach side of the train to illuminate the exterior portions of the car or cars 7 as well as the adjacent roae bed. In this way a zone of light is established at each side of the train extending from the tender 6 preferably to the opposite end of the train and serving to facilitate the detection of any person or object entering or leaving the train at any point, the reading and proper understanding of signals between members of the train crew; the prompt detection of smoking or blazin journal boxes, etc.

While the lamps 9 are herein shown as attached to the tender G, it is to be understood that they may be positioned on the locomotive 5 or any car or cars 7 or the caboose or at any other point consistent with the purposes of the invention. Also these lamps may be in any desired number and positioned to illuminate not only the sides, L

but the top, bottom and all other exterior portions of the car or cars along which the light rays are directed.

As therein shown, each lamp 9 comprises an outer casing 10 of tubular form in which is arranged a correspondingly shaped Hector casing 11. Lamps 12 and 13, carried by the inner closed end of casing 10 extend forwardly into the corresponding end of the reflector casing 11 through suitable openings 14 and 15 provided for this purpose, either orboth the lamps 12 and 13 to be of a red or any other suitable color. Surrounding the open end of the reflector casing 11 is an integral annulus 16 made slightly curved or concave to allor-d the desired strength and rigidity and serving to hold the casings l0 and 1l in the desired spaced relation. Inwardly of the annulus 15, cas ing' ll is provided with an annular seat or rib l? to which a lens 18 is held by means of a clamping ring 1.9 threadedly engaged with the open end oit the casing. rlhe outer end olf casino,` 10 is closed in a similar manner by a lens 20 confined between the threaded ring 2l and a central. aperture cap member 22.

l'n practice it has been tound that the re- `tlector lens 1S may be conveniently dispensed with in certain instances. However, when two lenses are used, as herein shown, the saine should preferably be of the planoconvex type and of suitable 'focal length arranged with the convex surfaces opposing one another and spaced apart a distance approximately equal to one-fourth of the diameter of the lenses. This speciiic structure and arrangement of the lenses while giving unexpectedly good results in the projection of the light rays is not, however, absolutely essential, as lenses ot other' types can be used to advantage and may be spaced apa-rt in any manner conducive to the attainment of the best results in the projection of the light rays passing' therethrough.

lVhile any suitable means may be provided i'or holding' the lamps 9 to the grip handles 8, we prefer to use, 'tor this purpose, the particular form of bracket disclosed to advantage in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive. As herein shown, the said bracket consists of a pair ot' complen'ientary clamp members 23 and 2a held to opposite sides ot one ot the grip members S by .means of the bolts The inner opposing' surtaces ot these 'clamp members are recessed as at 2G to conjointly provide an opening' confor-num;` to thc cross sectional contour olf' the grip member' 8 and receiving the latter therethrough. At one end the members 23 and 2li are interlocked by means of a projection 26 on one member Vfitting' in a correspondingly shaped slot 27 Formed in the other member Jfor this purpose, said projection and slot being' inclined with respect to the inner longitudinal faces of the clamp members to cooperate with the bolts 25 in preventing' relative longitudinal .movement of `the parts. Adjacen t the inten locked entremities` the inner faces ot meinbers and 9A are recessed to conjointly provide a vertical slot 26, The members 23 and 24tare further recessed to provide np per and lower horizontal slots 27 extending the Yfull width ot said members and intersecting the vertical slot 2G. The lamp carrying part of the bracket comprises an approximately L-shaped member presenting a vertical arm 28 and a horizontal arm 29. The lamp 9 is mounted on the horizontal arm 29 and is secured thereto by a bolt 30 passing upwardly through said arm and through the casing l0 of the lamp, pivotal movement of the lamp with or about the bolt 30 being' prevented by a suitable arrangen'ient ot braces 3l connected between the casingY l0 and the vertical arm 2S. The latter arm is provided with upper and lower spaced e,\'- tensions 32 normally arranged to extend transversely through the atorementiound slots 27 ot the members 23 and 24k. 'lhe ex tensions 32 are `provided with vertical slots 33, closed at each end and registering;` with aligned portions ot the vertical slots 26 to provide for the positioningof the securing bolt 34.. A second securing; bolt is positioned to extend vertically through the slots 33 between the outer closed ends ol' these slots and the adjacent side ot the Iclamp members 23 and 24e, the purpose oi:

this bolt beingl to prevent pivotal movement of the extensions 32 about the bolt 34.

Normally, each illuminating unit is arranged as shown in Figs. l and 2 with the clam-p members 23 and 24k extending lateral.- ly from the grip member 8 and the lamp4 9 and its supporting arm 29 directed rearwardly. However, on referring to F 5, it will be apparent that by removing the bolt 35, the lamp 9 and its supporting' arm 29 may be positioned at the opposite sides ot the clamping' members 23 and 24 or' may be disposed in longitudinal alignment therewith. lllhen the lamp 9 is aligned with the clamp members 23 and 24 it will be understood that the extensions 32 of the arm 28 will extend longitudinally of the slots 2'", to permit the bolt 35 to be replaced by passing the same vertically through the inner aligned ends o'l'l the slots 26 and 27. l? rom this, it will be apparent that our improved lighting means while normally arranged to create a liajht zone extendingon opposite sides oi the train from the locomotive to the opposite end is capable of being diverted 'from normal position to -direct the light rays either .laterally or forwardly ot the train should such adjustment become necessary for any reason.

The tender 6 is provided with the usual wiring;` system 3G trom which current is yconducted to the lamps 9 through suitable con- 'luctor leads 17 passing' through insulatiiug' sleeves 38 carried by the lamp. hn

llhile iu the foregoing, we ha what we now consider to be the preterred embodiment ol the invention, wc do not w'.; to be limited to the exact details ot construction and arrangement of parts herein set torth but reserve the right to resort to such changes as may later prove desirable, provided of course, that the contemplated changes come within the scope and spiritof the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. Means for illuminating ved the exterior ot lill) railroad trains comprising, in combinaton with the grip handle of a locomotive tender, a pair of members formed to clamp the grip handle therebetween, means securing said members together' in clamping engagement with the grip handle, a horizontally disposed lamp support adjustably connected to said members by a vertical pivot permitting ladjustment of the support in a horizontal plane, and a horizontally disposed projector lamp carried by the support and adjustable therewith to direct the light rays longitudinally or laterally of the tender.

2. The combination of a support including a horizontal member and a vertical member at one end of the horizontal member, a horizontally disposed projector lamp arranged o`n the horizontal member, a fastening screw passing through the horizontal member and the engaging portion of the lamp and a plurality of braces connected between the lamp and the vertical member and serving to prevent pivotal movement of the lamp with or about said screw.

3. The combination of a. projector lamp, a bracket comprising a movable member carrying said lamp and a stationary member adapted to be secured to a suitable support, upper and lower tongues projecting from the lamp carrying member and formed with vertically aligned longitudinally extending slots, upper, lower and intermediate tongues projecting from the stationary member and also formed with vertically aligned longitudinally extending slots, said members beingcapa-ble of assembly to extend either in alignment or at right angles to each other with the tongues of the two members disposed in interiitting engagement, the tongues and tongue slots of the lamp carrying member being of greater length than the width of the tongues of the stationary member to projert beyond one side of the latter tongues when the members are disposed at right angles, and a pair of securing bolts adapted to be passed through the slots of both sets of tongues when the members are disposed in alignment, one of said bolts being removable to permit pivotal movement of the lamp carrying member about the remaining bolt to dispose the members in right angular positions with the tongue slots of the lamp carrying member projecting beyond one side of the tongues of the stationary member to permit the removable bolt to be reinserted in the projecting portions of the slots.

4. A projector lamp support comprising a movable lamp carrying member provided with projecting slotted tongues, a stationary member provided with projecting slotted tongues arrangd for interitting engagement with said first mentioned tongues, the two sets of tongues being capable of selective assembly to extend either in alignment or at right angles with respect to one another, the tongues and slots of the lamp carrying memn ber being of a length greater than the width of the tongues of the stationary member to project beyond side of the latter tongues when the two sets of tongues are disposed at right angles, and a pair of fastening bolts adapted to be passed through the slots of both sets of tongues when the latter are in alignment, one of the bolts being removable to permit pivotal adjustment of the lamp carrying member to dispose the tongues thereof at right angles to the tongues of the stationary member, said removed bolt being then reinsertable in the slots of the lamp carrying member to occupy a position between the projecting ends of the slots and the adjacent side of the tongues of the stationary member.

5. A projector lamp bracket embodying a pair of complementary clamp members having the inner opposing surfaces thereof recessed adjacent one end to conjointly provide an opening conforming to the cross sectional contour of a supporting member received between said clamp members, an interlocking connection between the clamp members at the opposite end comprising a projection on one member fitting in a correspondingly shaped slot formed in the other member, and fastening bolts securing the clamp members together and passing therethrough at opposite sides of the recesses.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the projection and slot interlocking the clamp members at one end are inclined with respect to the inner longitudinal faces of the clamp members to cooperate with the bolts in preventing relative longitudinal movement of the members.

In testimony whereof we hereunto ailix our signatures.

FRANCIS W. MORRIS. MICHAEL C, NILAND. 

